Def Line Combine Recap
 

WalterFootball.com: 2013 NFL Draft Scouting Combine - Field Workout Recap


By Charlie Campbell.
Send Charlie an e-mail here: draftcampbell@gmail.com
Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell for updates.

This is the 2013 NFL Combine Field Workout Recap for the defensive linemen. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd used the workouts to illustrate why he is rated at the top of the 2013 NFL Draft. Floyd had a great performance at the Combine. He ran the 40 in a stunning 4.87 seconds, unofficially, with a 10-yard split of 1.68 seconds. Floyd was also phenomenal in the field drills with quick feet and good movement skills. It was obvious that the 6-fo0t-3, 297-pounder has amazing athleticism for an interior defensive lineman. The Combine helped confirm Floyd's high first-round grade.

There is no doubt that Oregon outside linebacker Dion Jordan is dripping with athleticism. He put on a clinic at the Combine with a blazing unofficial 40 time of 4.53 seconds (4.60 officially) and a 10-yard split of 1.57 seconds. While the times were excellent, Jordan was even better in the field work. He was extremely fluid with super fast feet as he flew through the bags. Jordan looked awesome dropping into coverage as a linebacker. He did that well in college, so it wasn't a surprise that he looked like a natural in these drills. Jordan (6-6, 248) needs to gain weight, but he clearly is a perfect fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker.




BYU defensive end/outside linebacker Ezekiel Ansah showed off his supreme athleticism. The 6-foot-5, 271-pounder ran a sparkling 40 time of 4.62 seconds unofficially with a 10-yard split of 1.56. Ansah then did well in the field drills and gave more proof that he can handle outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Ansah is an athletic freak and he did his part to maintain his early first-round status.

SMU defensive end Margus Hunt is another defensive freak. The 6-foot-8, 277-pounder put his track background on display in the workouts. He had an official 40 time of 4.60 with a 10-yard split of 1.62. That was tied for the third-fastest time. In the bag drills, Hunt showed that he is a natural bender and moved extremely well. He has very quick feet and was smooth moving between the pads.

Hunt tied for the lead with all the defensive linemen with 38 reps on the bench press the day before. He truly is a rare specimen for size, speed and strength. Hunt's big Combine performance isn't a surprise, but he definitely helped himself.

Auburn's Corey Lemonier helped his draft stock with his Combine performance. He ran the 40-yard dash with an official time of 4.60 and 1.57 in the first 10 yards. In the field drills, Lemonier gave teams evidence that he can handle the transition to 3-4 outside linebacker. He was quick - a little tight in the hips - but fast in the field work. Lemonier (6-3, 255) has added some needed bulk and that was on display with a quality bench press total of 27 reps. He did his part to confirm a second-day grade.




Connecticut outside linebacker/defensive end Trevardo Williams is definitely a workout warrior, but he also has a lot production in his collegiate career. The 6-foot-1, 241-pounder blazed an official 40 time of 4.57 seconds with a mark of 1.61 in the 10-yard split. Williams was the fastest of all the defensive linemen. He also was very impressive in the bench press with 30 reps. That is a huge total for a sub-250 defender. Williams helped differentiate himself at the Combine.

Texas A&M defensive end Damontre Moore had a disappointing Combine. He ran a slow 40 time at 4.87 seconds unofficially (4.95 officially) with 1.69 in the 10-yard split. Moore made a second attempt at the 40, but pulled up with a leg injury. Worse than the 40, the 6-foot-5, 250-pounder managed only 12 reps on the bench press; the lowest total of any defensive lineman. Moore had good numbers in the broad jump (122) and vertical jump (35.5). The strength is the biggest red flag and it could cause teams to reevaluate him.

It wasn't surprising that LSU outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo looked good at the Combine. Everybody knows that he is extremely athletic. Mingo had one of the fastest 40 times at 4.58 seconds with a 10-yard split of 1.55 seconds. He was explosive in the field drills, too. Mingo did extremely well dropping into coverage and was very fluid in and out of his breaks. The 6-foot-4, 241-pounder is a player who thrives in space and clearly isn't big enough to play defensive end in the pros. Mingo used the Combine to show that his athletic ability is legitimate.




One highly regarded defensive end who had a mildly disappointing performance was Florida State's Bjoern Werner. His official 40 time was 4.83 seconds with a 10-yard split of 1.66 seconds. Werner did better in the defensive line field drills as he showed good feet and burst. Werner (6-3, 266) was asked to participate in the 3-4 outside linebacker drills as well, and he looked stiff to flip his hips and redirect. Werner's outing at the Combine demonstrated that he isn't a great fit as a 3-4 edge linebacker and would need development if he's drafted into that scheme.

Ohio State defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins ran the 40 at a time of 5.31 seconds officially with a slow 10-yard split of 1.80. It wasn't a good time for Hankins, but not terrible for a heavy tackle. The 6-foot-3, 320-pounder was stiff moving through the field drills, but he had more quickness than one would think. The 2013 NFL Draft features a loaded defensive tackle class, and Hankins didn't do enough at the Combine to narrow the gap with the higher-ranked players like Floyd.

A few other defensive linemen are worth mentioning. Missouri's Sheldon Richardson (5.02), North Carolina's Sylvester Williams (5.03) and UCLA's Datone Jones (4.80) all had solid Combine performances. They had decent times, but didn't blow anyone away. None of the trio hurt or helped themselves significantly.

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

I thought Margus Hunt was more impressive than Ansah and Jordan both...

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

I think Jordan would be a beast if/when he gets his shoulder repaired in time to take part in the OTAs, and he still remains my favorite for the OLB spot not least because of his coverage skills.

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

there's plenty of meat to go around. i'm confident we get help quick on defense. who knows with payton though?

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

I agree. that would allow Wilson to be the Rush OLB in the 34 were he excels. Thats if Wilson fits into the plains. After last year abuse i really am at a lose.

Size and speed at OLB would be unreal for the saints.

Now Hunt reminds of a bigger Cameron IMO. Just not developed. I watch him a few times and wondered if he was giving it all on more than one play.

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

Good stuff. I'm a little worried Mingo/Jordan/Ansah tested themselves out of our range.

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

One will be there. No doubt. If the top ten draft picks have proven anything, there's always a few head-scratchers.

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

If Jordan/Ansah are gone by 15 and the Saints have to "settle" on Mingo, I think the Saints will be fine. Its a pick to improve the defense and I'm all for that

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

Well, that is a deep defense. I guess that means we're going WR in the first! :wink:

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

It could happen.

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

It seems Sam Montgomery may be slipping into the 2nd. With all the depth in this draft I would not be mad dropping back and picking up a 2nd. This could be the best year for defensive players in over 20 years.

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

SMU defensive end Margus Hunt is another defensive freak. The 6-foot-8, 277-pounder put his track background on display in the workouts. He had an official 40 time of 4.60 with a 10-yard split of 1.62. That was tied for the third-fastest time. In the bag drills, Hunt showed that he is a natural bender and moved extremely well. He has very quick feet and was smooth moving between the pads.

Hunt tied for the lead with all the defensive linemen with 38 reps on the bench press the day before. He truly is a rare specimen for size, speed and strength. Hunt's big Combine performance isn't a surprise, but he definitely helped himself.

There praising this guy out of SMU as the next JJ Watt and there saying he can be a early secound rounder. If he's that good trade back and get a secound round pick before someone else gets him.

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

i have to pass on mingo and hunt. mingo just does not impress me with last years play. hunt looks the part but his play last year seemed off and on all year from play to play.

i just have issues with DL standing in one spot when the play is away from them. hustle

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

They're saying Hunt is definitely a project. He has crazy mad abilities, but has only been playing football for a couple of years or so. Projects worry me, especially on the defensive side as they require good coaches to turn them into something special. The older I get, the harder it is to believe we're ever going to get good defensive coaches.

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

DL EARLY AND OFTEN MAKE IT HAPPEN LOOMIS_

Re: Def Line Combine Recap
 

2013 NFL Draft defense position rankings, post-combine

Each position includes a top-five ranking, plus one rising and one falling player from outside that upper-echelon group.


Defensive tackles
1. Sharrif Floyd, Florida
2. Sheldon Richardson, Missouri
3. Star Lotulelei, Utah
4. Sylvester Williams, North Carolina
5. Jesse Williams, Alabama

The big news here is that Lotulelei was unable to work out after an echocardiogram uncovered a heart condition that will require further tests. Floyd and Richardson, meanwhile, continue to impress scouts — both could wind up in the top 10.

Rising: Akeem Spence, Illinois.

Spence measured in at just 6-foot-0, though he did hit 307 on the scale. More than those numbers, though, he hit 37 reps in the bench press and performed well during positional drills. He’s probably a Day 2 pick at this point.

Falling: Jonathan Hankins, Ohio State.

In reality, Hankins’ stock probably held mostly steady this weekend. But he did skip the bench press — he’ll do it at Ohio State’s Pro Day in March — and was near the bottom of the DT list in the 40-yard-dash, broad jump and vertical jump.

Defensive ends
1. Dion Jordan, Oregon
2. Ziggy Ansah, BYU
3. Bjoern Werner, Florida State
4. Damontre Moore, Texas A&M
5. Datone Jones, UCLA

Things get a little tricky at the next few spots, because there are several guys that could be either DEs or outside linebackers, plus several more than could play multiple LB positions. So Jordan very well could wind up as a rush linebacker. Ansah continues to climb the charts. He did just about everything scouts could ask during drills Monday.

Rising: Margus Hunt, SMU.

Hunt is a towering 6-foot-8 … and he did 38 reps on the bench press. That’s astonishing. Hunt also said that he believes he can put on a good 20 pounds (he weighed in at 277), so the sky might be the limit there.

Falling: William Gholston, Michigan State.

Did Gholston do anything especially poorly? No. He also did not do anything particularly well, finishing 23rd among defensive linemen in the 40 (4.97 seconds) and landing in similar position on other drills. For a player who lives and dies on his athleticism, that’s not good enough.

Outside linebackers
1. Jarvis Jones, Georgia
2. Barkevious Mingo, LSU
3. Chase Thomas, Stanford
4. Khaseem Greene, Rutgers
5. Sio Moore, UConn

Again, this is mix-and-match from a positional standpoint. Jones chose not to work out in Indy, while Mingo suited up with the defensive linemen. Keep an eye on Moore, who looked like a guy capable of doing some work in coverage, though his 7.49 three-cone time was underwhelming.

Rising: Cornelius Washington, Georgia.

A silly combination of marks for the 6-4, 265 Washington: 4.55 40, 36 bench-press reps and a 39-inch vertical. There’s no doubt he is an athlete. The problem for Washington is that he sizes up as a bit of a tweener, stuck between being an end and an OLB. Southern Mississippi’s Jamie Collins had a big weekend, too.

Falling: Keith Pough, Howard.

Pough put himself on the map by showing well at the Shrine Game. However, his 4.9 40 time was among the slowest for all of the combine’s linebackers, and he did himself no favors with just 17 bench reps.

Inside linebackers
1. Alec Ogletree, Georgia
2. Arthur Brown, Kansas State
3. Kevin Minter, LSU
4. Manti Te’o, Notre Dame
5. Kiko Alonso, Oregon

Brown very well could wind up outside — he’s probably a better fit there than at this spot anyway. All eyes were on Te’o here, of course, and he mostly disappointed on the field, though he’s always been better in action than as a true athlete. Minter barely edged him out in the 40.

Rising: Kevin Reddick, North Carolina.

Reddick’s combine effort did not really jump off the page, except for one number: a 1.57 10-yard split in the 40-yard dash. Though a lot of focus falls on the 40 times, that split is critical for NFL scouts, because it shows off a player’s explosiveness. Only Jamie Collins fared better there.

Falling: A.J. Klein, Iowa State.

Klein had the look of a mid-round linebacker, aided by a solid 4.66 40. All that changed when he tumbled during a drill, reportedly after suffering a serious knee injury.

Cornerbacks
1. Dee Milliner, Alabama
2. Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
3. Desmond Trufant, Washington
4. Jamar Taylor, Boise State
5. Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State

Milliner’s official 40 time landed at 4.37 (up from its original 4.31 spot). Either way, he likely convinced teams to erase “Does not have elite speed” from his negatives column. Trufant and Taylor both posted 4.39, while the latter really had a terrific Tuesday in drills. On the flip side, Banks’ 4.61 is horribly disappointing for a potential first-round pick.

Rising: Darius Slay, Mississippi State.

Based on his position-best 4.37 40 alone, Slay will garner some extra attention in the film room in coming days. He is not in Milliner’s class, for example, but he has the potential to be a very solid NFL starter. David Amerson, with a 4.44 time, helped his case, too.

Falling: Logan Ryan, Rutgers.

All in all, the cornerbacks appeared to fare well in their drills. Ryan’s combine was far from disastrous, either, but his 4.56 40 and 32.5-inch vertical (one of the day’s lowest) did not make him look like a top-five player at the position.

Safeties
1. Kenny Vaccaro, Texas
2. Matt Elam, Florida
3. Eric Reid, LSU
4. Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International
5. D.J. Swearinger, South Carolina

The safety group is extremely deep, filled with guys like Cyprien who can play either free or strong safety. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see Cyprien at the combine, as he was dealing with a hamstring injury. Elam’s 40 time (4.54) definitely stands as acceptable for a player trying to solidify his standing near the top of this class.

Rising: Shamarko Thomas, Syracuse.

Thomas’ 4.42 40 was better than any other safety’s time, and he topped the list on the bench press as well (28). He’s a strong, athletic safety — proving that at the combine could rocket him up boards.

Falling: Zeke Motta, Notre Dame.

Similar to his teammate Manti Te’o, in that he’ll play better than he tests, Motta more or less bombed the scored drills. He did the fewest bench-press reps of any safety (11), then turned in a staggeringly slow 40 time (4.83). He needs to find an exact right fit in the NFL or he could flop.

2013 NFL Draft defense position rankings,*post-combine | Audibles - SI.com